When You Leave Me Behind
by Hero Memory
Summary: Sonic always runs off on adventures, leaving those he loves behind. Knuckles is about to learn just how lonely Tails is when his big brother's away, but maybe Tails will realize something Sonic doesn't know: the best adventures happen when you're standing still. Friendship oneshot.


I love writing friendship oneshots, but I haven't written one in a very long time. So this time, I decided to explore Knuckles's point of view, something I have never done before. Enjoy and review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Knuckles, Tails, Sonic, or anything Sonic the Hedgehog related.

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Knuckles narrowed his eyes behind closed eyelids when the sound of footsteps reached his ears. The sun warmed his fur, and he heard the songs of birds not far off. And then the sound of footsteps had to go and shatter his peaceful day.

With a heavy sigh, Knuckles reluctantly opened his eyes and looked down the stone stairs that led up to the Master Emerald. Only a few steps down stood Tails, his eyes bright and eager, and his namesakes flicking behind him. "Hi, Knuckles!" he said happily, his voice far too chipper as far as Knuckles was concerned.

"Shouldn't you be chasing that hedgehog somewhere?" Knuckles said tiredly.

Tails's face fell and his tails went drooped. "No, he went by himself. I'm not really fast enough to keep up all the time."

Knuckles shrugged. "I'm not all the surprised that he'd do that. But that doesn't explain why you're here."

"I was just looking for something to do," Tails said casually. He continued up the stairs and sat down on the one just below Knuckles.

_So of course he had to come here_, Knuckles thought. He frowned, closing his eyes again. A warm summer breeze swept over him, and Knuckles couldn't help but smile. For a moment he could pretend his peace had never been disturbed. These were the kind of days he waited for as guardian.

Tails spoke up suddenly, "Can I…talk to you about something?"

Knuckles sighed. He wasn't going to get any peace and quiet, was he? But at least this was better than Sonic's pestering when he came around. Conversation was many miles from Sonic's brand of annoying sugar-high. "Sure," Knuckles muttered. _Might as well let the kid get it out_.

For a long time, Tails didn't continue. Knuckles opened his eyes a slit to look at the kit. Tails stared at his hands in his lap, as if mulling something over. Slowly, he lifted his head and looked out over the treetops. "It's just…" he said quietly, "…I miss Sonic a lot when he's gone. And he's gone all the time. He has to leave me behind because I can't always keep up. And I'm always afraid…that someday he's going to leave me behind for good."

Knuckles scoffed, "I'd take it as a gift. Sonic has a knack for putting the people who most care about him in danger."

"So?" Tails said. He turned to look back at Knuckles, his eyes glittering in the late-morning sunlight. "That's half the fun!"

Knuckles rolled his eyes. "Oh great, he got to you." Knuckles leaned forward to look solemnly at Tails. If he was going to hang around someone as dangerous as Sonic, Tails was going to have his childish innocence of 'nothing ever goes wrong' destroyed early. "Tails, you know you're going to get hurt. Sonic never thinks; he just goes off playing the hero."

Tails shook his head, Knuckles unable to wipe the smile from the kit's young face. "He's not trying to be the hero. He goes off to have fun and have adventures. Being a hero kind of just happens 'cause he cares about people."

"Yeah, he's all fun and games until he gets you into danger," Knuckles muttered. "He's reckless, Tails, and I'd hate to see him get you hurt."

"But I don't care. I like all the adventures. I'd rather risk my life and have fun than live to be old and not do anything." Tails grinned brightly, and Knuckles watched his face curiously. He had never seen such a bright expression on Tails's face as he spoke about a death that could very well be right around the corner. Knuckles's heart weighed heavily in his chest. Tails was far too young to have a fate such as death even on his mind.

"I'm not afraid," Tails continued gently. "The adventures are too much fun to be afraid. Don't you ever want to go on adventures?"

Knuckles leaned back on the stone stairs, his eyes not leaving Tails's face. The edges of the stone rounded away, worn from centuries of weather, and felt solid but soft against Knuckles's back. "I go on adventures; they're just not foolish or dangerous like Sonic's tend to be."

Tails turned more fully to face Knuckles. He looked at the echidna in confusion, his eyebrows drawn together. "How? You always have to be here, don't you? I mean, don't get me wrong, I know how important protecting the Master Emerald is, how the responsibility is passed down through your people. But that's got to make it hard to go anywhere."

Knuckles smirked. "You're just like him. He seems to think you need to go somewhere to have an adventure. But you just have to see something new in somewhere old."

"What do you mean?" Tails asked, his eyes widening.

Knuckles tilted his head back to face the sky, closing his eyes so the sun burned warmly on his eyelids. "You brave a storm, hear a birdsong, learn something new about the Master Emerald." Knuckles grinned. "Sonic just doesn't get that there are some adventures you can only take if you're standing still. It's not about seeing something new; it's about how something new changes you."

Knuckles opened his eyes again and turned to look at Tails's face. The kit stared at Knuckles, his mouth hanging open like he'd forgotten to close it. Knuckles could practically see the wheels turning in Tails's head as he struggled to process the new information. Knuckles chuckled. "The one thought that never came to you: that your hero could be wrong."

Tails's expression of awe morphed into a shy smile. "Then…do you think, maybe, I can come and help you protect the Master Emerald sometimes? When Sonic's away? It could be a whole different kind of adventure."

More days of Tails destroying his peace? Knuckles preferred being alone, but looking into Tails's bright eyes, he found it difficult to disappoint him. Knuckles sighed. "Sure."

Tails grinned, his namesakes flicking happily behind him. Knuckles grinned as well, surprised how contagious the young fox's happiness was. He could hardly believe Sonic left his kid brother from time to time; what a loss.

"Tails," Knuckles said suddenly, startling even himself, "I don't think Sonic's ever going to leave you for good." Knuckles shook his head, allowing a gentle smile to settle on his face. "I don't think he could bear to disappoint you."

A rough wind rushed past the two of them abruptly, surprising for such a gentle day. In an instant, Knuckles knew the source and jumped to his feet. Tails, seeing Knuckles's reaction, hesitantly got to his own. At the bottom of the stairs stood the ever-grinning Sonic the Hedgehog, the only one Knuckles knew who could create rough winds just by going for a joyride. "Yo, Tails!" Sonic called. "What are you doing slumming this place?"

Knuckles rolled his eyes. All attitude, that one, but Tails didn't notice. "Sonic!" Tails cheered, dashing down the steps to jump in his big brother's arms. He looked up at Sonic with admiration in his eyes. "Knuckles was just telling me I could help him protect the Master Emerald!"

"Well isn't that dull?" Sonic said cheerfully. "How about the two of us go on a real adventure?"

"Yes! Right now?"

"Of course! Why don't you go get the Tornado ready? We're going to need it where we're going."

"Okay!" Tails agreed and without a backward glance, ran off.

Knuckles watched him go, his heart aching in his chest, though he would never admit it. _Hope the kid'll be all right_, he thought.

Sonic turned to look at Knuckles. Instead of a clever, smirk, he shot Knuckles a steady smile. He nodded once and then dashed away without another word.

Knuckles sighed and lay back, closing his eyes against the sun once more. He never imagined he'd miss the disruption of his peace. But without the eager voice of Tails, the day was far too silent. Talking to the kid had been an adventure in itself. And although Knuckles hated to admit it, he wanted adventure as much as Tails.


End file.
